Form 2 Notes on acids and bases

Properties of acids
1. Sour taste- eg vinegar, fruit juices
2. React with metals to form hydrogen gas
3. Turn blue litmus red
4. Caustic- can burn or corrode plants, animals and humans and can even burn
through metal.
5. Generally have a strong smell.
Properties of bases
1. Generally don’t dissolve in water. Those that do dissolve to form what is
known as an alkali.
2. Generally have a slippery, soapy texture.
3. Bitter taste
4. Turn red litmus blue
5. Generally have no smell.
Examples of everyday acids
1. Vinegar is an acid known as acetic acid
2. Sour fruits such as limes, oranges and grapefruits contain an acid called citric
acid
3. Vitamin C found in fruits and vegetables is ascorbic acid
4. When milk goes off it becomes sour due to lactic acid. This lactic acid is also
formed in muscles and is the reason muscles become sore and tired during
exercise.
5. Your stomach contains hydrochloric acid that is used for digestion.

Examples of everyday bases

1. Soapy substances such as soap, shampoo and detergents are made of a base
called sodium hydroxide/caustic soda
2. Toothpaste used to brush teeth is a base
3. Ammonia is a base used to clean, bleach and deodorize
4. Milk of magnesia is a base called magnesium hydroxide. It is used to sooth
heartburn and stomach problems.
Examples of scientific acids –
1. Hydrochloric acid – HCl
2. Nitric acid – HNO3
3. Sulphuric acid- H2SO4
Examples of scientific bases
1. Sodium hydroxide – NaOH
2. Potassium hydroxide- KOH
3. Ammonium Hydroxide- NH4OH
Strength of acids
pH - Indicates how acidic or alkaline something is

 Ranges on a scale from 0-14

 0-6 on the scale are acids
 8-14 on the scale are bases/alkaline
 As you go from 0 to 6 on the pH scale acids get weaker (that is 0 is a strong
acid and 6 a weak acid)
 As you go from 14 to 8 on the pH scale bases get weaker (that is 14 is a
strong base and 8 is a weak base
 7 on the pH scale represents neural (neither an acid nor a base)

 This is the pH scale

 Strong acids range from pH 0-3 and are represented by red to orange colours
 Weak acids range from pH 3-6 and are represented by light orange to yellow
colours
 A pH of 7 s known as neutral. This is represented by the colour green. Some
neutral substances are water, milk, blood and table salt.
 Weak bases/alkali range from pH 8-11 and are represented by dark green to
light blue colours
 Strong bases/alkali range from pH 11-14 and are represented by dark blue to
purple colours

Examples of strong and weak acids

Strong acid Weak acid

Nitric acid Vinegar (Acetic acid)
Hydrochloric acid Citric acid
Sulphuric acid Formic acid

Examples of strong and weak bases

Strong base Weak base

Sodium Hydroxide Ammonia (NH3)
Potassium Hydroxide Ammonium Hydroxide (NH4OH)
Calcium Hydroxide Magnesium Hydroxide

Indicators

 Indicators are substances that give visible signs, generally a colour change,
due to changes in concentration.
 Acid-base indicators change colour depending if a base or acid is present.

Indicator Colour in acid Colour in base/alkali

Methyl Orange red yellow
Litmus red blue
Phenolphthalein colourless pink
Universal indicator Red, orange, yellow Dark green, blue, purple

 Note: the colours for universal indicator are the same as the pH scale

Neutralization

 A process where an acid and a base react together.

 In the reaction they form a salt and water

Example of neutralization

1. Vinegar (Acetic acid) + Baking soda (A base known as sodium

bicarbonate) react to form a salt + water + carbon dioxide.
2. Hydrochloric acid (HCL) + Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) react to form table
salt (NaCl) and water
Common household applications of neutralization

1. Bee stings are acidic and is why they burn. Baking soda (base) is often a
remedy used as it neutralizes the acid
2. Heartburn is caused by acids in the stomach. Heartburn can be helped by
using such things as Pepto-Bismol or antacids which are both bases that
neutralize the acids in the stomach
3. A lot of foods and drinks we consume contain acids. To prevent damage to
our teeth toothpaste is made out of bases to help neutralize the acid